Bleacher Report - Articles by InTheBleachers.net

Spring Questions: Pac-10 Edition

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:43:49 -0400

Who, if anyone, can stop Southern Cal from their eighth straight Pac-10 title?

The Trojans will be replacing Mark Sanchez at quarterback, and a slew of linebackers, but looking at the Pac-10 as a whole, there is still really no team out there that looks to be able to dethrone them.

The best bet as of this moment is California or Oregon, but with both of those teams come significant holes. The Ducks have an offensive line to replace and a backfield that accounted for most of their offense in 2008.

Cal has Jahvid Best coming back at running back, but even the best running backs in conference can not make up for an inconsistent quarterback.

UCLA is still a few years away, and Arizona and Arizona State are losing key players. Finally, the Oregon State Beavers do return running back sensation Jacquizz Rodgers, but they have too many holes in their secondary to contend.

So unless the Trojans have more than one slip up in conference play; they should be on cruise control to their eighth straight Pac-10 title. Which brings me to my next question...

Can USC stay focused enough for the entire Pac-10 season, and not have their usual conference slip-up?

In 2006, it was UCLA; in 2007 it was Stanford; and last season it was Oregon State. All three of those games cost USC a chance to play in the BCS Championship.

In all three of those seasons, there was no doubt that after watching the Trojans play in their Bowl game, that they were one of the teams that should’ve been playing in the title game.

So how does Pete Carroll keep this team focused? It’s a tough task when you have so many four and five-star recruits on your team, but if the Trojans ever want to play in a title game in the near future, they need to stop losing to these inferior teams in conference play.

Carroll needs to keep this team on their toes week in and week out, even with the notion that the Trojans are far and away the best team in the conference, that doesn’t mean a team couldn’t sneak up on them.

If this can be done, we can maybe finally see this team in the Championship game.

Who will be the starting quarterback for a number of teams in the conference?

No longer do we have familiar name such as Mark Sanchez, Rudy Carpenter, or Willie Tuitama as quarterbacks. I can honestly say that every team, sans Washington with Jake Locker, has their quarterback situation in-flux.

The most interesting battle takes place at USC, where incoming freshman Matt Barkley will battle both Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain for the starting job. Mustain left Arkansas (where he was the starter), for a chance at being the No. 1 QB at USC, but in the end he might never get there.

UCLA returns starter Kevin Craft, but with only a handful of success last season, his job is not safe. Redshirt freshman Kevin Prince looks like he is the No. 1 threat to Craft’s job but there are others including true freshman Richard Brehaut, sophomore Chris Forcier, redshirt freshman Nick Crissman, and senior Osaar Rasshan.

Both Rasshan and Crismann had shoulder issues in the past year.

At Arizona State, senior Danny Sullivan, sophomore Samson Szakacsy, sophomore Chasen Stangel, redshirt freshman Jack Elway, and true freshman Brock Osweiler are all fighting for Carpenter’s old job. Sullivan was his backup, but nothing is etched in stone for him to be the starter in 2009 just yet.

Stanford returns last year’s starter, Tavita Pritchard, but given his less than stellar play in 2008; his job is in jeporady. Alex Loukas and redshirt freshman Andrew Luck are hoping to impress head coach Jim Harbaugh enough to unseat Pritchard.

Matt Scott or Nick Foles will replace Arizona Wildcats’ starter Willie Tuitama. Whoever gets the nod better have wheels because the Wildcats have a lot of questions on their offensive line.

In Berkeley, Kevin Riley was given the job last season, but could not hold onto it throughout the season. Now with Nate Longshore gone the job should be his right? No, his inconsistency still plagues him and if he isn’t careful Brock Mansion will unseat him.

Is there anything to look forward to out of the state of Washington?

Both teams combined for two wins last season, one of those wins was a conference win against the other, and were outscored by their opponents by an average of 41-13 in all of their games.

The Huskies fired Ty Willingham and replaced him with former USC coordinator Steve Sarkisian, while the Cougars have second year coach Paul Wulff was just suspended for the first few practices of fall camp due to violations he had while at Eastern Michigan.

Two once-proud programs are now bottom dwellers in the Pac-10, and I don’t expect much to change this season. Besides Jack Locker, can you really name any other impact players of either school in Washington?

Locker now has to deal with a new offense with Sarkisian at the helm and the fact that he hasn’t been healthy for an entire season yet. Their linebackers are back (Mason Foster, Trenton Tuiasosopo and Donald Butler) but is that really a plus for a team that gave up 39 ppg last year?

The Cougars are running into their own problems with injuries and suspensions. Quarterback Marshall Lobbestael was recently suspended for an alcohol violation. And if you think help is on the way, well you are mistaken.

For the second year in a row, Washington State is ranked 10 out of 10 in the Pac-10 recruiting rankings.

The Washington Huskies were fifth and ninth in the past two years respectively. Buckle up, it’s going to be a long and bumpy ride in 2009.

Will Oregon see a smooth transition between Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly?

On Mar. 13, Mike Bellotti decided to become the Ducks’ full time Athletic Director, therefore, handing the reigns over to assistant Chip Kelly. This wasn’t a big surprise because in early December, Kelly was named the head coach in waiting.

A lot of this sounds familiar to Ducks’ fans because it was Rich Brooks who named Mike Bellotti his successor when he left to go coach the St. Louis Rams. I think this should be an easy transition for the team. Kelly is a quality offensive coordinator who has been around the program for two years.

It was Kelly who was the key coach that helped Dennis Dixon become a Heisman contender in 2007. Kelly has already had his hand in naming a few new assistants, but other than that little change, business should be the same as usual in Eugene.

Spring Questions: Big Ten Edition

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:38:30 -0400

What does Ron Zook do with Juice Williams?

Williams is a great talent at quarterback for the Illini, but he just can’t seem to take that step to elite status.

In his sophomore year,, he was so inconsistent that Zook actually pulled him in some games in favor of Eddie McGee. This would be the same year that Illinois played in the Rose Bowl.

Last season, however, Williams kept a firm grasp on the starting job, but could not duplicate the success that the team had in 2007.

Williams has always been a dual threat, both with his arm and feet, but he is best served when Zook does not have to rely on him throwing the ball to win the game.

Williams is very erratic with his pass accuracy and in 10 games where he has attempted 30 or more passes, the Illini’s record is an eye-popping 1-9.

I don’t think that it is the attempts that are hurting him, but rather it is the scheme. Zook needs to roll out Williams so he has that pass-run option.

Keep the patterns short and simple, and you will see the Illinois offense succeed.

Is there hope for Michigan fans this year?

Anything has to be better for Wolverine fans next season, who saw their team go 3-9 and miss a bowl game for the first time in 34 seasons in 2008.

Most of the fans I talk to have high hopes for incoming freshman quarterback Tate Forcier, and all I say to them is that I hope he is made of steel.

With Steven Threet transferring and Nick Sheridan suffering a leg injury in spring practice, Forcier is now the No. 1 quarterback by default. In the fall, he will be joined by fellow true freshman Denard Robinson, but it seems for now that it is Forcier’s job to lose.

It is going to take a few years for Rich Rodriguez to get his players in place for his system, but will the Michigan faithful wait that long?

Defensively they should get a little better, but that is not enough in my opinion.

They are very green at the skilled positions on offense, and their offensive line isn’t exactly stellar. Luckily for the Wolverines, the Big Ten will be down a little this year so they should be able to win more than three games this year.

Can Purdue and Wisconsin rebound from disappointing 2008 seasons?

Last year, many thought that the Wisconsin Badgers were one of the sleeper teams that could rise up and win the Big Ten.

Well, we found out that you cannot win the Big Ten without a defense and a quarterback, and now with P.J. Hill, Jr., gone, you can add running back to that list.

The Badgers were once a team with a strong offensive line and a solid—but not spectacular—quarterback.

They come into this year with the same questions (as last year) at quarterback. Will it be Dustin Sherer? Can John Clay be an every-down back now that Hill is gone?

The Badgers have a very young offensive line with a lot of inexperience, which doesn’t bode well for developing quarterbacks.

I expect a lot of the same struggles for the Badgers as last season, as well as a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten finish.

Purdue didn’t have quite the same high expectations, but having Curtis Painter come back for his senior season was supposed to solidify the Boilermakers' offense.

But in Joe Tiller’s last season, Painter went on to have a very lackluster senior season, and now, it is up to Joey Elliott and Justin Siller to duke it out for for the starting job.

Also gone is running back Kory Sheets, but hopefully replacing him is senior Jaycen Taylor, who has some experience for the Boilermakers.

Taylor missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in preseason practice.

Besides the defensive ends and secondary, the Boilermakers are going to have a new look come 2009—that includes head coach Danny Hope.

Unfortunately for Purdue fans, this program will take a few more steps back before it breaks into the upper half of the Big Ten.

Will Ohio State be able to reload enough to go to its fifth straight BCS bowl game, and seventh in eight years?

Yeah, you read that correctly. Ohio State has gone to a BCS bowl game six times out of the last seven years, a feat that is pretty impressive if you ask me.

Coming into 2009, however, the Buckeyes have to replace a lot of firepower on offense; as well as most of their offensive line, secondary, and linebackers.

Their quarterback situation with Terrelle Pryor is locked up for the next two years at least, but Beanie Wells is gone at running back and so are receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.

Potentially, it could be a problem in Pryor’s development if he doesn’t find receivers to throw to, and expect him to take more of the load running the ball.

What the Buckeyes have going for them is their stellar recruiting.

They have been in the top 10 each of the past few years, and coach Jim Tressel made a point last year to go out and recruit a ton of stud linemen. It’ll be up to him and his staff to quickly develop this talent to become a Big Ten contender.

The beginning of the season could be a little rocky, particularly the USC game. But with the way the Big Ten looks to be shaping up in 2009, there is no reason why the Buckeyes can’t finish on top of the Big Ten or even high enough in the BCS standings to warrant another BCS bowl invite.

Does the Big Ten have any legitimate national title contenders this season?

For those who read the blog regularly, you know I am a Big Ten fan. So it might mean a little more when I answer this question with an emphatic no!

Due to the fact that the Big Ten has taken some huge public relations hits the past three seasons, any team in this conference to go to the BCS title game would have to be undefeated.

Right now, I cannot say that any team in this conference is complete enough on both sides of the ball to go through the season unscathed.

I’ve talked about Ohio State’s issues. Last year’s champion Penn State will be replacing three wide receivers, four offensive linemen, most of their secondary, and two All-American defensive ends.

Michigan is two to three years away from contending. Minnesota has too many questions on defense. Michigan State has too many questions on offense (replacing Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer). And Iowa doesn’t have the consistency at quarterback.

I expect another year of the pundits making fun of the Big Ten for not being elite anymore.

Meanwhile, it might be best for the conference to only get one team in the BCS bowls. That way, conference members match up better down the line and restore some of the image they lost.

2009 is going to be an interesting season in the Big Ten. I expect the champion to have at least two conference losses, and it could be a year where Minnesota or Michigan State finally breaks through and wins the Big Ten.

For their sake, however, they better hope USC is in the BCS title game.

Big Ten Spring Game Dates
Illinois (April 25)
Indiana (April 18)
Iowa (April 18)
Michigan (April 11)
Michigan State (April 25)
Minnesota (April 25)
Northwestern (April 25)
Ohio State (April 25)
Penn State (April 25)
Purdue (April 18)
Wisconsin (April 18)

Monday Morning NFL Combine Thoughts

InTheBleachers.net — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:00:35 -0500

We’ll have much more on the NFL combine in the coming days (hopefully including some actual and well-organized thoughts), but I wanted to chime in with a few of my observations this morning before the ubiquitous “expert” commentary overtakes the Interwebs. With absolutely no rhyme or reason, they are as follows.

I have to admit, I am both surprised and impressed with former Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey’s 40-yard dash time. With everyone boasting of his amazing speed over the past few weeks (some of the more imaginative fans and pundits were claiming he’d run a 4.2 40), I was sort of hoping he’d come up short of expectations just to put some of the more inflated ideas about 40-yard dash times to rest.

Sure enough (and making me look like a idiot), the 6′2 wideout clocked out with an official 4.3 40, the third fastest time among wideouts since 2000. Seeing as though he attended one of my high school’s league rivals (McDonogh, outside of Baltimore) I’m still not jumping on the bandwagon yet, but that’s more to do with me than anything else.
On the subject of 40 times, I was not completely off in my outlook that 40 times seen at the high school and collegiate level are often inflated. Case in point—the fastest “official” time was Cedric Peerman’s 4.45. Ian Johnson helped himself out tremendously with a second best 4.46 at the position, while only two other running backs (Kory Sheets and Andre Brown) ran sub 4.5s.

Still plenty fast for a running back, but try telling that to last year’s critics, who claimed that the 40-yard dash times of the Jacob Hesters of the world put him out of the running to be an actual NFL running back. So why is it that Knowshon Moreno or Shonn Green get to be running backs with times in the 4.6s (still plenty fast for running backs) while a Jacob Hester (4.6) or Peyton Hillis (4.58) get slotted at fullback?
Percy Harvin ran a 4.41 40-yard dash. Ankle injury or not, this makes me (and should make you) somewhat skeptical of all those supposed “sub-4.3″ guys Urban Meyer claims to have on his roster.
Arizona wide receiver Mike Thomas had a great postseason in terms of his All-Star workouts and showings. He only built on that success on Sunday, running a 4.40/40, posting a 40.5 vertical, and claiming a 10′9” broad jump. Say what you want about his lack of size (5′8”), this guy not only has money hands but also everything else you look for in a wide receiver.
Kicker David Buehler is, technically, stronger in terms of upper-body strength than all but three tight ends. I find this apparent fact earth-shattering.
Biggest winners so far? I think you have to really look at Ian Johnson and Donald Brown at running back, as well as UVA product Cedric Peerman. Last week, Brian and I talked to Chris Caple of DraftDaddy.com about the depth of this class, and not one of those guys came up.

While Johnson is not likely to vault himself into the first day with his combine, he does put himself back into the mid-round mix after some people labeled him more of a free agent type. And all things considered, I think Donald Brown answered questions about his measurables, which were the only thing naysayers had left when trying to dispute his production last season at UConn.

Like I said, more to come as the week goes on. What are your initial thoughts?

In The Bleachers Podcast:: 2009 NFL Combine Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:29:43 -0500

If you are a fan of the NFL Draft and the upcoming combine, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss. Joining Brian and Adam is a our special guest Chris from DraftDaddy.com.

Draft Daddy is one of the best blogs on the Internet for information pertaining to the NFL Draft and the players who will be participating in the combine.

In this podcast, we talk about the weak quarterback class of 2009, the depth in the running back class, how the combine can really make or break you, and what players have the most potential to slide up or down the draft boards.

Also included in on this podcast is a wrap up of National LOI Day.

A special thanks goes out to Chris from DraftDaddy.com for coming on the show.

To listen to the episode, you can download it here, or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast, you must subscribe to the Feedbuner but if you want to subscribe to the blog please use the RSS feed.

This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers and if you have any questions or comments to the show please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

“Nobody Runs a 4.3″: On the Inflation of High School 40 Times

InTheBleachers.net — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:10:34 -0500

I’ve been talking a good deal about 40-yard dash times as of late. Heck, I’ve been talking a good deal about 40-yard dash times for my entire blogging existence. Call it a “pet-project,” but I tend to find the subject fascinating, and not from the usual perspective.

I differ from the casual fans and bloggers, who love to inflate, proliferate, and generally throw 40-yard dash times around as if they were fixed height and weight statistics. I tend to take a more modest approach when it comes to the infamous measurement of football's most prized commodity: speed.

As many of you are no doubt aware by now, I’m typically very skeptical of 40-yard dash times that I hear. I referenced this on National Signing Day during Brian’s liveblog:

4:15 PM EST- The Austin American Statesman has a great article to keep the “numbers” of National Signing Day in perspective. Those who read the blog on a regular basis know I am highly skeptical of reported 40 yard dash times, often because they are self-reported and quite frankly, highly inflated. It’s good to see reporter Alan Trubow set the record straight when it comes to this issue.

Mansfield Timberview running back Eric Stephens — the No. 36-rated recruit on the Fabulous 55 — is 5-11, 200 pounds and has 4.38 speed on texasfootball.com. On Rivals.com, the Texas Tech-bound Stephens is 5-8 (three inches shorter), 177 pounds (nearly 25 pounds lighter) and, according to the site’s analysis, “doesn’t have home-run speed.”

Stephens, insists Timberview coach Terry Cron, is 5-8, 200 pounds and runs about a 4.56.

“I don’t know where some of these guys get their numbers from,” Cron said. “It seems like they heard it from a guy, who heard it from a guy, who heard it from a guy, and that’s good enough to report.”

I encourage you to read the rest of the article, which deals with the “magic” number of a sub 4.6—which many prospects know they must report to even be considered for a FBS offer. Frankly, this whole obsession over 40-times as THE basis for evaluating and offering players is getting out of hand (posted by Adam Nettina).

I referenced this post to remind everyone that when it comes to 40-yard dash times, you’re almost always hearing something that’s marginally, and often substantially, inflated.

This view is consistent in all levels of competition, but seems especially prevalent and most profound at the high school level, where there is often a lack of standardization of testing for the drill. In other words, even if you are getting the “true” 40-yard dash time from the player, there is often no way to verify it under controlled conditions.

We all know certain factors like weather, wind, surface, timing method, and even clothing can effect the speed of an individual over 40 yards . Those variables do not even factor in the countless number of 40-yard dashes a prospect can run in trying to best his previous times.

In other words, there are seldom any 4.3 guys. Heck, I’m not even sure there are many 4.4 or 4.5 guys. But are there a very select handful who have run a 4.3? Sure, but more often than not it’s been on a “fast track” indoor surface, with the benefit of a generous, if not altogether “home team” timing methods.

This has been, I believe, why 40-yard dash times at the NFL combine have typically been slower than one would expect.

So often led to believe that NFL skill, position players must run below the magical line of 4.5 seconds, your average NFL fan would be shocked (yes, shocked) to learn that the average NFL combine times for running backs since 2005 is actually 4.56. The average time for receivers is 4.57.

This very relevant truth must be especially disconcerting with each passing year. Former high school stars of the Rivals.com and Scout.com generation are posting electronic times slower than the ones they claimed coming out of high school.

All of this comes to us not only on the eve of this year’s scouting combine, but also on the heals of the Kennedy/CES Combine held in Atlanta. The combine, held for many of the southeast’s top high school juniors, is thought by some to signal the unofficial start of the 2009/2010 recruiting process.

As expected, several prospects stood out. One of these young men, wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers, ran a blistering 4.34 40-yard dash—at a mind boggling 6′2, 197-lbs. Another prospect, defensive back Ryan Ayers, ran an insane 4.31. And don’t forget about quarterback Qudral Forte, who posted an impressive 4.38.

The only problem is that he didn’t run that fast. In fact none of them did.

Rogers ran a 4.55, Ayers a 4.49, and Forte a 4.59. The discrepancy you ask? The former times were taken from a hand-timer, the latter from an electronic timer—just like to one that is used at the NFL combine.

All three of these young men are extremely fast, but suddenly they don’t look like the all-world sprinters that fans and recruiting junkies so often associate them with. Just looking at the numbers alone, it’s easy to see someone associating a 4.34 or 4.31 and saying that individual is a 4.3 player.

Heck, our tendency to associate 40-yard dash times with the standard tenth of a second could even lead many to cite Forte as a player who runs in the 4.3s. But he’s not. He more of a “4.6″ guy, just as much as Rogers is a mid-4.5 guy and Forte is a 4.5 guy.

So what’s my point? Am I just trying to rip on three random high school juniors who just so happened to test very well (but not that well) at a recent high school combine? Of course not. But I think it’s important to keep the numbers in perspective.

Knowingly or not, fans and media members have created a football culture that’s conducive to the obsession and inflation of individual and team speed. In doing so, we’ve in fact created our own monster when it comes to not only evaluating talent, but in effect determining the educational and financial situations of the thousands of young men who hope to earn college football scholarships.

In an effort to keep pace with numbers that are all to often misleading (like the hand-timed 40-yard dashes mentioned above) more and more high school football players inflate, mislead, or flat-out lie about their own 40-yard dash times. This is happening with increasing regularity, proliferating a myth of what is truly fast and what is not.

Yet when we evaluate the numbers across the board (and not just in the 40-yard dash either) we find that the benchmarks such as size, speed, and strength are not what we thought they were.

Does that make the young men who play the game any less impressive from an athletic standpoint? Of course not. So why is it that some 42-year-old bum sitting in his cubicle has the audacity to categorically determine whether a player is “fast enough” or “strong enough” to play Division I football?

It boggles my mind, and hopefully, after reading and studying over the above facts, it will start to boggle yours as well.

For More on 40-Yard Dash Times and the NFL Draft, be sure to check out DraftDaddy.com’s excellent article on average testing times since 2005.

Eric Kettani Interview on the In The Bleachers Podcast

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:00:17 -0500

He’s 6'1", 240 lbs., and runs a 40-yard dash in the mid 4.5s. He ran for nearly 1,000 yards for the nation’s best rushing offense a year ago, averaging over five yards per carry. He can bench press close to 400 pounds and power clean an equally impressive 395 pounds. A 32-inch vertical leap only rounds out his impressive physical numbers.

Wake Forest linebacker and potential top 10 draft choice Aaron Curry called him one of the best fullbacks or running backs he’s ever played against, while NFLDraftScout.com lists him as their eighth-best fullback prospect in all of college football.

He’s Navy’s Eric Kettani, and last night he joined Brian Sakowski and Adam Nettina on the In The Bleachers Podcast.

Aside from talking about his impressive Senior Bowl performance and possible NFL future, Eric spoke to us about his career at Navy, the NFL scouting process, and who impressed him the most at the Senior Bowl. We here at In The Bleachers want to thank Eric for his time and wish him the best in both his future military and potential pro football career.

To listen to the episode, you can download it here or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast you must subscribe to the Feedburner, but if you want to subscribe to the blog, please use the RSS feed. This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers, and if you have any questions or comments to the show, please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

Eric Kettani, Navy Fullback, Awaits Executive Decision on Military Service

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:17:04 -0500

Last year the Detroit Lions selected Army linebacker Caleb Campbell late in the 2008 NFL Draft, and there was a lot of debate when the United States Government decided to add a new rule that allowed military academy grads to go straight to the NFL and delay their service.

With the Army’s alternative-service-option policy created in 2005, Campbell would have been allowed to play football while completing his military service as a recruiter and then in the reserves, but then on July 8 the military revised that rule, which forced Campbell to join his West Point classmates and delay his NFL Dream.

This year, a year after Campbell, there is another service academy member who could be facing the same issue come Draft Day 2009. Navy fullback Eric Kettani is scheduled to join us on an In The Bleachers Podcast in the near future and is fresh off a solid Senior Bowl experience, where he scored a touchdown and had a good week at practice.

The real struggle for Kettani might not be to get drafted, or even signed as a free agent if he isn’t drafted, but whether the new administration reverses the decision by the old one, which would allow Kettani to leap right into the NFL without any wait.

Scouts are saying that Kettani has the tools, and it was evident in his workout, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. He also boasts a 32-inch vertical leap and is able to bench press 395 pounds and clean 335.

Even with all of that, NFL teams might be shying away from him unless there is a clear path that he will be able to play and participate in NFL Camps after the draft.

I am all for letting athletes in the Service Academies postpone their Service to their country in order to try their luck with the NFL or other professional sport. It is good publicity for the Service Academies and might attract other athletes who would not have considered going to Army, Navy, or the Air Force.

But whether the administration decides to postpone his commitment or not, just make a decision and make it quick. This young man does not need to go through the emotional roller coaster that Caleb Campbell went through last season.

The Seven Top Prospects Still Available as LOI Day Approaches

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:37:16 -0500

In exactly one week, recruiting fanatics all over the country will be hitting their refresh buttons, hundreds—maybe thousands—of times on sites such as Rivals.com and Scout.com to see if the four or five-star recruit actually did fax in his Letter of Intent to their school.

Or did he pull an about face and send it to their rival?

Remember to keep checking this blog because I will be running a live blog the entire day of Signing Day on Feb. 4. I will post the rumors that I have been hearing and any signings for flips that occur during the day.

Checking out the Rivals.com Top 100 prospects, you’ll notice that the majority of them have verbally committed to a school (which we know means nothing as of yet), but there are a few out there that are totally undecided, or just want to wait until Signing Day to announce. Here is a list of seven in the Top 50 who have yet to announce where they want to go to school.

No. 2 Rueben Randle

Randle is the overall second-ranked prospect and the top wide receiver prospect in the nation. You can tell why because of the size and speed he has going for him. As of now he has a list of three schools—LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma—who are finalists for his services.

No. 10 Jelani Jenkins

Jenkins has a knack for finding the ball and can really lay a good hit on the ball carrier. He is the best outside linebacker left uncommitted. If you watched the Army All-American Game, you came away very impressed with this young man. Jelani has his choices down to either Florida or Penn State, and will announce at his school next Wednesday.

No. 11 Dre Kirkpatrick

In three years as a starter in high school, Dre has 17 interceptions, which is why he is Rivals.com's No. 1-ranked defensive back. As receivers get bigger and bigger, DBs need to also, and Kirkpatrick has the size (6′2″) to man up with any receiver in the country. It seems to be down to Alabama, Florida, and Texas.

No. 12 Manti Te’o

Manti has been an interesting person to follow the past few weeks. There were some who thought he was BYU’s to lose because of his beliefs, but recently information has come out about his trip to BYU and his subsequent souring on the Cougars. Te’o has narrowed his choices down to Notre Dame and USC, but BYU might also still be an option.

No. 27 Greg Reid

Reid is the fourth-ranked DB by Rivals.com. He might have the same speed as Dre Kirkpatrick, but he isn’t quite as big. That doesn’t mean that the teams won’t be happy to get this stud. Bobby Bowden has been down to visit Reid in the past week because the coach knows Florida State is in Reid's final list, but so are Georgia and Alabama. I’m hearing there is some interest in Tennessee and Miami, but I believe those two schools to be long shots.

No. 49 Morgan Moses

Morgan is the highest-rated offensive lineman still non-committed. He has the size (6′7″ and 350 pounds) and the strength to possibly be a staple at left tackle for three or four years. Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Ohio State are the teams left on his list.

No. 50 Patrick Patterson

Size and speed are what Patterson has at 6′3″, 215 lbs. He also boasts a 4.5 40-yard dash. The word I am getting is that he is starting to lean towards the school in his home state—Ole Miss. However, I am sure Tennessee, Alabama, and Southern Mississippi won’t let him go away without a dogfight.

College Football Recruiting Eye: The Limits of the Role Playing Theory

InTheBleachers.net — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:53:56 -0500

A few weeks ago I briefly touched on the effects of Jim Harbaugh’s recruiting efforts at Stanford, and how the program was defying conventional wisdom when it comes to getting both quality football players and top-notch student athletes. Since then Harbaugh has reeled in another top prospect, this time getting the commitment of California’s own Mr. Football in Cathedral Prep running back Tyler Gaffney.

Gaffney, who ran for 2,866 yards and scored 56 touchdowns this past season for the undefeated Dons, chose the Cardinal over offers from USC and Notre Dame, who recruited him primarily as a fullback.

Let me repeat that: Who recruited him primarily as a fullback.

They weren’t alone in their assessment. ESPN.com’s Scouts Inc. had this to say about Gaffney:

...he currently lacks the vision, suddenness and feel for the cutback lane to project well as zone runner at the next level. Struggles picking and sliding through traffic, slipping through the small creases and making something out of nothing. A true north-south back that could continue to develop the size and strength necessary to wear down a defense as a college runner and occasionally break off a long run with his good top-end speed. Overall, Gaffney could be productive in the right downhill, power running system or potentially make a slide down to fullback or over to defense as an outside linebacker with his great size to speed measurables...

Flattering to an extent, but not exactly the most stellar review for a guy who rushed for more yards in a high school single season than former Heisman trophy winners Marcus Allen, Ricky Williams, Reggie Bush, or Rashaan Salaam.

Yet all worn-out jokes about white running backs being “power runners” aside, Gaffney’s commitment to Stanford shows, in my mind anyway, the limits of even the best college football recruiters. And make no mistake about it; when it comes to recruiting young men to play football in college, Pete Carroll and Charlie Weis are second to none.

While I don’t presume to know exactly what Gaffney was thinking when he made his commitment, it does not take a rocket scientist or professional psychological analyst to figure that after literally having unprecedented success rushing the ball in high school that Gaffney would want to continue that success—or at the very least go somewhere with the opportunity to do so—in college.

What better place to do so than Stanford, which currently features another “bruising” yet athletic back in Toby Gerhart, who oh-by-the-way holds the California career high school rushing record at over 9,000 yards.

Gerhart’s story is almost the mirror image of Gaffney’s, especially considering that the 6'1", 236-lb. Gerhart was also listed as a fullback by many scouting services out of high school and also was a two-sport star who wanted the chance to play college baseball. Yet Gerhart received comparatively little interest from schools as a runner and ended up signing with a swooning Stanford program that was trying to rebuild itself under Walt Harris.

A major injury and a couple of losing seasons later, and Gerhart was all but forgotten by college football—that is until a 2008 campaign in which he returned to lead the Cardinal offense with over 1,100 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns while splitting time with Anthony Kimble, another potential NFL running back.

Now if I’m Gaffney, where would I rather go? The up-and-coming program which will give me a chance to play my natural and preferred position while also playing college baseball, or the perennial power where I can go mash shoulder pads with linebackers for four years while some dude who rushed for half as many yards as me in high school gets all the glory?

The answer is—and I think we can all agree—quite simple. I’d choose the former, especially knowing Stanford’s recent history with Gerhart. After all, why let Rivals.com or Scout.com or whoever tell me who and what I am as a football player, especially when my ridiculous production at the high school level should speak for itself?

Let’s be honest here people; these young men (despite a few and often very noteworthy exceptions) are not stupid. If they’ve been a playmaker all their lives, their natural instinct is to want to go to a program which will feature them in that same capacity, and one which will give them the opportunity to show their talents in the best way possible.

And how can you blame them? Isn’t it natural for anyone to want to receive maximum exposure doing what they do best?

Therein lays the limits of selling a player on a program—however strong—if you’re only going to promise him the chance to be a role player. For as much as you can sugarcoat the fullback position with promises of short-yardage carries or H-back status, the position remains one of such ignominy that it practically screams glorified offensive lineman in most pro style offenses. Never mind that most programs now run spread offenses and would shuffle a player of Gaffney’s ability into a defensive role.

And you know what? It’s not just productive running backs being forecast at fullback either we’re talking about. It’s tweener defenders who get typecast as “hybrids” at the college level, or undersized wide receivers who are given the chance to walk-on to programs as the proverbial special teams “demon” when they’ve really been excelling at catching passes their entire careers.

My point here isn’t to fault Gaffney or others like him. In fact, it’s just the opposite. While there is much to be said for the inflated egos of the high school football superstar, the reality is that players should understand their own value in the recruiting process.

For as many times as we see high school athletes let the “star” ratings go to their heads, we see players like Gaffney or Gerhart get slotted down to role player status because they may not conform to prototypical and often unrealistic standards those same scouting services have defined for their position.

Yet given the right offense and the right coaching staff, players such as these can often thrive at the next level, taking advantage of their natural ability and not letting it go to waste in a program that fails to accurately define that player’s inherent value.

That, my friends, is why parity will continue in the college game. Because as long as recruiters and scouts continue to misunderstand the value of players and offer them only on the basis of being a “role player,” the more we will see highly talented athletes like the Tyler Gaffneys of the world sign with rising programs like Stanford over a traditional heavyweight like USC.

No Buzz About It: Five College Football Postseason All-Star Snubs

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:37:51 -0500

During the latest In The Bleachers podcast, I made a point about wanting to see declared juniors suit up for postseason all-star games in preparation for the draft.

While I know that kind of a situation is all but impossible given the time frame of an already early declaration day, I still think NFL scouts and personnel directors would benefit from seeing these young men in pads and not just in the combine and pro day workouts of the spring.

Also, I think it would benefit a number of the players, especially those who often get branded as “overachievers” and don’t quite blow the scouting world’s collective socks off at the combine.

One point I forgot to bring up during the show was how this very lack of exposure doesn’t just affect how underclassmen are perceived headed into the draft, but also significantly effects how under-the-radar senior prospects are perceived. Case in point, what about some of the seniors who’ve been left off the invitation lists for the all-star games?

The following five players are all seniors who’ve had distinguished careers, yet for one reason or another were not invited to one of the three postseason all-star games in preparation from the draft. Do they have a viable NFL future? Maybe, maybe not, but considering their college production, they all deserve at least a chance to make it on the next level.

WR Nate Swift, Nebraska

Even with Nebraska’s distinctive option football history, it’s hard to believe that the school’s all-time leading receiver has generated so little talk about a possible NFL future. Yet that’s exactly the case with departing senior Nate Swift, who comes off his most impressive campaign yet after catching 63 balls for 941 yards and 10 TDs in 2008.

At 6'2", 200-lbs., he has good size for an NFL receiver, and despite getting categorically stereotyped as an “overachiever” and a “possession” wide receiver, he’s nevertheless blossomed into a sure-handed target in a pro style offense.

Swift has more than enough functional speed to play in the NFL, while his blocking ability, toughness after the catch, and body control make him a prime candidate to compliment any NFL passing attack.

QB Willie Tuitama, Arizona

Even in a year in which the top end quarterback talent seems sparse, it’s somewhat surprising to me that we haven’t heard more about NFL teams that would be willing to take a chance on a guy like Tuitama with a late round pick. This is especially dumbfounding when you factor in Tuitama’s record-setting career at Arizona, where he threw for more than 9,000 yards and 67 touchdowns.

Mechanically he looks as strong as anyone in the draft, and once more has shown a real improvement over the last two years in Tucson with the change in offensive systems.

I know there are questions about his escapability and athleticism within the pocket, but at 6'3", 230-lbs., you’d think his combination of size, arm strength, and production at the collegiate level would be enough to draw more NFL attention.

TE Darius Hill, Ball State

Size and speed. We hear the phrase so much that it has become trite and worn out when describing the physical ability of prospects, yet it still manages to define exactly what scouts are looking for in a top-flight tight end.

At 6'6", Ball State’s Hill certainly has the size to make an impact at the next level, while his speed (estimated in the 4.7 range) is more than adequate for his body type. While he suffers from the stigma of being a below average blocker who lacks the physicality to play on the line in an NFL offense, he more than proved his worth as a red zone threat at the collegiate level, catching 31 career touchdown passes for the Cardinals.

As strange as this sounds, I think Hill suffered from the diversification of Ball State’s offense this year, but I still have to question why the First Team All-MAC selection was left out of the postseason party.

FS Daniel Charbonnet, Texas Tech

The former Woodlands star and Duke transfer has been something of a journeyman during his college career, not seeing significant action until the 2007 season with the Red Raiders. Still, he was arguably one of the best Big XII defenders last season, registering 92 tackles and a team-leading six picks, including a key interception against Texas that he returned for a touchdown.

A second-team All-Big XII selection at safety, Charbonnet is a bit undersized at 5'11", but has adequate speed for his position and a great on-field attitude. Maybe not a guy you’d expect to see at the Senior Bowl, but I’m surprised he did not earn a Texas vs. The Nation nod.

WR Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas

One of the most underrated skill position players in the entire country, Fitzgerald has quietly compiled an impressive on-field résumé over the past two seasons in Denton. He’s caught over 100 passes each of the past two seasons and was named first team All-Sun Belt in both cases.

While he does not wow you with his 5'11" size and may not run in the 4.4 range, he plays with excellent game speed and displays crisp route-running ability and great body control. He reminds me a good deal of Rice wide receiver Jarett Dillard in his approach to the game, but doesn’t get near the amount of publicity Dillard does. I think he could be a huge steal in a very deep wide receiver class.

Now that you’ve seen my list of All-Star senior snubs, we want to hear from you! Which players do you think should be generating more draft “buzz?” And who do you think is getting a bad rap when it comes to their projection at the next level?

In The Bleachers Podcast: 2009 Senior Bowl Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:09:58 -0500

Just when you think the college football season is over, you are reminded that there are two teams of seniors taking the field this Saturday at 6pm EST to showcase their talents to NFL Scouts.

In this episode of the "In The Bleachers Podcast", Brian and Adam talk about the Senior Bowl. We discuss which players are helping their stock in practice, and which may have hurt their stock.

We also take a look at the juniors entering the 2009 NFL Draft and talk about if their decision was a good one or not. Just because the college football season is technically over, that doesn’t mean that the coverage will stop on the blog or the podcast. Brian and Adam have a lot of ideas in store for the readers/listeners to get them through this lull.

To listen to the episode you can download it here, or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast you must subscribe to the Feedbuner, but if you want to subscribe to the blog please use the RSS feed. This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of "In The Bleachers" and if you have any questions or comments to the show please email them to inthebleachers@gmail.com.

Seven Intriguing Senior Bowl Prospects to Watch

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:28:50 -0500

If you’ve been following this week’s Senior Bowl practice reports at all, you know there are plenty of lists and rankings out there already. From Risers and Sliders to “Notable Prospects,” it seems like most media members, bloggers, and even casual observers have something to say about anyone and everyone participating in the action down in Mobile.

Departing from the usual buzz surrounding the big-name quarterbacks and wide receivers, today we take a look at seven “intriguing” prospects from the big game. Obviously you could make a case that each and every participant in the Senior Bowl is intriguing to some extent, but the list below reflects players who I think have interesting storylines.

Be sure to keep your eye on them this weekend, and remember to tune in to tonight’s ITB Podcast as Brian and I recap the National Championship and hit the NFL draft trail.

Eric Kettani, Navy

Anytime you’re dealing with a Service Academy player with draft potential, you have an interesting storyline, but what separates Eric Kettani from recent Army players like Caleb Campbell is that Kettani has viable potential as a contributor on an NFL team.

A former tailback in high school, Kettani runs well enough to contribute outside the role of a lead blocker or short yardage back at the next level. Physical yet agile for his 6'1", 230-lb. frame, Kettani projects as an ideal H-back in the right NFL offense.

Rashad Jennings, Liberty

Already considered a “riser” after just a few days of practice, Jennings is a former Pitt transfer who excelled on the FCS level at Liberty. There was no questioning his physicality and production at the college level, but scouts have been impressed with his speed and athleticism early in the evaluation process.

With the recent success of other former FCS running backs like Tim Hightower in the NFL, Jennings has nowhere to go but up in his Senior Bowl showing.

Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond

One of the best ways for FCS prospects to gain serious NFL draft “buzz” is to measure in well. Check that for Sidbury, who wowed scouts with his 35-inch wingspan. A physical specimen, the issue for Sidbury will be to show he can compete with the very best tackles from the FBS level.

Despite a fair amount of buzz over his draft status, he struggled at times in the Shrine Bowl last week and will have to show better consistency against the run if he’s really going to make a leap on NFL draft boards.

Ramses Barden, Cal Poly

A legitimate terror to FCS defensive backs his entire career, the 6'6" Barden certainly has the “wow” factor in his size and production. With 36 receiving touchdowns over the last two seasons, the guy could be an instant red zone threat in the NFL, but teams are going to question his top-end speed and separation ability as a downfield target against elite cornerback prospects.

Ron Brace, Boston College

Brace has everything you’d want in an interior defensive lineman. At 6'3", 330 lbs., he’s massive for one thing, and you can’t dispute his incredible production at the college level for a top-flight BC defense.

Yet NFL scouts are going to want to know if Brace can perform as well on the next level without the benefit of another top-tier tackle in fellow BC teammate B.J. Raji, who has wowed scouts in practice this week with his quickness and penetrating ability.

Connor Barwin, Cincinnati

Everyone has by now heard the story. Barwin, a former tight end, moved to the defensive end position prior to his senior season at Cincinnati, only to become one of the most feared pass rushers in the Big East.

Yet despite his upside as a proverbial “raw” talent on the defensive line, Barwin has been seeing double duty this week and has been getting interest from some NFL teams at tight end. He has tremendous physical upside, so it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up.

Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston State

Admit it America, you’re a sucker for redemption stories. Regardless of how you feel about Bomar’s actions during his freshman stint at the University of Oklahoma, one can’t dispute the perceived weakness of this year’s college quarterback crop. That leaves a huge opportunity for Bomar, who at 6'2" has the size and arm strength to be a potential NFL starting quarterback.

With a good Senior Bowl showing, he becomes one of the top five quarterback prospects in the draft.

Shrine Bowl: Five Players to Watch

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:58:40 -0500

Call my college football obsession unhealthy, but I really do enjoy watching postseason All-Star games. I know, I know: Me and the other 14 or so people who even bother to tune in, right? Maybe, but there’s just something about seeing perennially underrated college stars go out onto a field with a chip on their shoulder with the intent to prove some ESPN twig wrong that really gets me excited.

While the Senior Bowl has become the main attraction for NFL scouts and hordes of inquiring media types, other all-star games, like the Texas vs. The Nation Game or the East-West Shrine Bowl, still feature quality players from around the country and around all different levels of college football.

What makes these games unique is that they are, in a very real sense, often actual All-Star games, with projected late-round/free agent types of players going out to lay it all on the line in what may be the final football game of their lives.

Critical acclaim (not to mention potential pro draft status) or not, here are five players I’m keeping my eye out for in this Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game.

RB Gartrell Johnson, Colorado State

Johnson is one of those highly productive runners who has unfortunately had to deal with being mislabeled by the so-called “experts” who project him as a next level fullback. At 6'0", 225 lbs., he definitely has a power runner's body, but questions over his second-level speed have plagued him like a bad rash.

Never mind the reality that NFL 40-yard dash times are inflated to begin with, but if you saw this guy against Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl (27 carries, 285 yards, two TDs) you know he has the size, speed, and balance to carry the load on the next level. I think he’s a steal in the draft and should benefit from the exposure in Houston.

TE/H-Back Mark Hafner, Houston

Are we looking at the next Dallas Clark? Maybe, as the 6'3" Hafner looks and plays more the part of the all-purpose H-back than your traditional tight end prospect. He was a beast in Houston’s spread offense this past season, snagging 86 balls for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. Yet he was one of the most overlooked players in all of Conference USA.

Your classic “mid-major” sleeper, Hafner is the kind of guy who could thrive in the right NFL offense if just given the chance.

LB Robert Francois, Boston College

Francois was a guy on a very productive defense at Boston College that typically got slapped with the label of “well-coached.” Well-coached they were, but don’t overlook Francois’ natural talent just because he wasn’t playing at an SEC school.

While he’s something of a tweener and could project as either a rush end or OLB at the next level, he’s one of those underrated defenders who looks equally comfortable dropping into coverage or attacking the line of scrimmage to stuff a run play. I like his versatility on defense, and although he did not get the same amount of credit as Mark Herzlich on BC’s defense this year, I could see him being a solid player at the next level.

LB Michael Tauiliili, Duke

Tauiliili is your classic case of a productive player who has had the unfortunate case of being stuck on a really bad team for most of his career. While he’s had some disciplinary problems in the past, I’ve still always been impressed with his ability to read and react with respect to what goes on inside the tackles. He’s been a one-man wrecking crew against Navy in the past, and I’ll be glad to see him move on to the next level.

His size (5'10"-ish) is a concern, but he’s a compact and explosive defender who causes problems for offensive linemen trying to block him at the second level.

FB Colin Mooney, Army

You really can’t help but like Mooney. I’ll avoid the stereotypical label of “old school” or “throwback” because they’re often widely overused, but Mooney runs with all the grace of a rhinoceros. And you know what, I can appreciate that in a “he’s not just a blocking back type” kind of way.

Case in point, Mooney will surprise people with his speed. He’s not entirely fluid or quick out of the gate, but like Gartrell Johnson, he has intriguing speed when it comes to getting to the second level. I don’t think a pro career is something that can come to fruition with this guy, but I wish him a great sendoff to a record-breaking season.

For more on the East-West Shrine Game, visit the official website.

First Look: College Football Top 10 for 2009

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:00:49 -0500

I hate doing this. I really do. But considering giving ridiculously early preseason “look-aheads” is all the rage these days, I thought I might as well share my Top 10 coming out of 2008 and going into 2009.

Keep in mind we still have eight months to go before the start of next season, and between spring ball, a semester without football, and fall camp, a lot can happen. Also, don’t forget that some of these rankings are contingent on big name stars coming back for another season, like Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford or USC’s Mark Sanchez.

Still, here’s where some of the nation’s top teams figure to fall going into the long, slow thaw of winter.

1) Florida

Hey, it’s not like I wouldn’t like to be contrarian here, but fresh off a National Title, this team is just scary good and only figures to get better.

Percy Harvin moves on to the NFL from the offense, but the unit isn’t short on experience or playmakers, with Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey waiting in the wings. The defense should be stacked—with or without Brandon Spikes—and you know the coaching staff won’t have any off days with Urban Meyer at the helm.

All of this would make for a top five team at least, but when you factor in the return of one of the greatest college football players ever, well, now it just starts to become unfair.

2) Texas

The team that many thought should be playing for a National Title this year may very well find itself playing for one in 2009, as the return of QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, and four of five starting offensive linemen makes Texas’ explosive offensive attack arguably the best in the Big XII.

Losing stud DE Brian Orakpo hurts, but the return of LBs Sergio Kindle and Roddrick Muckelroy leave the Longhorns no shortage of talent on Will Muschamp’s defense. The secondary—young and inconsistent at times in 2008—should be much improved.

3) Alabama

It may be tempting to drop the Crimson Tide a few spots when you consider just how poorly they played without soon-to-be NFL-bound left tackle Andre Smith in the Sugar Bowl, but remember that as a whole this team was remarkably young this past season.

Losing Glen Coffee and John Parker Wilson hurts on offense, but the majority of the defense will be back, as will emerging playmakers Mark Ingram at running back and Julio Jones at wide receiver. If this team can find a capable quarterback, they look like the favorite in the SEC West.

4) Oklahoma

We’ll know by Thursday whether or not Sam Bradford is coming back or not, but in either case, the Sooners should return a strong defense anchored by nine returning starters. The return of Ryan Reynolds (injured against Texas) at linebacker should bolster the unit, and even with the losses on the offensive line and skill positions, there is enough talent in the pipe to keep this team in the hunt for a Big XII and National Title.

5) USC

I know, I know. East Coast bias, right? Wrong. I like USC to make it back to a BCS bowl in 2009, but the fact that they’re going to have to replace six of their starting front seven on defense gives me cause for concern, especially considering their recent history of midseason Pac-10 hiccups.

This might be the most talented team in the country, but if anything college football has shown us that experience trumps talent with the new 12-game schedule format.

6) Georgia Tech

Leave it to a long-time Navy fan to go out on a limb on this one. I know Georgia Tech was handled in the Peach Bowl and that ranking them above the LSU Tigers may seem blasphemous to our friends in SEC country, but consider for a moment that Johnson was working with an offense built primarily from freshmen and sophomores recruited for a radically different system.

The last time he did that—2002 at Navy—his team went 2-10 his first year but came around to finish 8-5 in 2003.

Even if the defense isn’t as good as it was in 2008, I don’t see any reason to expect that Johnson’s offense won’t be incredibly more productive in 2009, making them the ACC favorite.

7) LSU

Settle down Tiger fans—I did not forget you. Had QB Jordan Jefferson and the Tigers played the rest of the 2008 season like they did in the 2008 Peach Bowl, we may have had a different matchup in the SEC Title game, but even the 38-3 stomping of Georgia Tech is not enough for me to overlook the painful inconsistency of Les Miles’ team in 2008.

I like the Tiger offense moving forward under Jefferson, but a likely overhaul of the front seven on defense keeps me skeptical.

8) Ohio State

I know some analysts are already drinking the Terrelle Pryor Kool-Aid, but the Buckeyes do suffer some pretty significant personnel losses going into next season. Chris Wells and Brian Robiskie depart, and joining them may be fellow wideout Brian Hartline.

Defensively the Buckeyes will have to retool, and despite the fact that they’ve replaced NFL talent in the past, I think they struggle moving forward without all-everything linebacker James Laurinaitis. Still, this looks like the Big Ten’s best team heading into 2009.

9) Oklahoma State

Here’s a comparison for you: How about the Cowboys as next year’s version of the 2008 Red Raiders? The defense may struggle, but with all the playmakers back on offense, this could end up being a team which just outscores its opponents more often than not. Quarterback Zac Robinson and wideout Dez Bryant are legitimate Heisman dark horses.

10) Boise State

I don’t know if Boise State is really the 10th-best team going into next season (OK, so I know they’re not) but I do think they represent the best shot of a non-automatic qualifier getting to a BCS bowl game in 2009, which in and of itself deserves mention on a list like this. This season’s freshmen sensation Kellen Moore returns at quarterback to direct an explosive offense that features several other young but talented skill position players.

Others to Consider

Virginia Tech, Penn State, Ole Miss, Kansas, Notre (gasp!) Dame

Big Ten Week One Predictions: Cupcakes Anyone?

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:34:25 -0400

I am back for another year of predicting Big Ten games. Each Friday I’ll have a brief summary of what I think the key points are in the games, along with my predictions. Last year I had a good record, getting 80 percent of the games right, so let’s see if I can continue the trend this season.

Youngstown State at Ohio State (Big Ten Network, 12 pm)

The Penguins face a tough task playing against the Buckeyes in Columbus. Ohio State has not lost to a team in Ohio since the 1920s, and I have no doubt in my mind that will extend another year.

As I said before on the blog, I believe Ohio State is the best team in the Big Ten, and they will blow Youngstown State out of the water. What I am most looking forward to is seeing some highlights of Terrelle Pryor.

Ohio State, 60-6

Coastal Carolina at Penn State (Big Ten Network, 12 pm)

Penn State made a lot of news this offseason off the field, but now it is time for them to make it on the field. Joe Paterno named Daryll Clark the starter, but we will also see Pat Devlin play in this game with the first team. I am interested in seeing how the defense looks without linebacker Sean Lee and the defensive line getting thinner and thinner by the moment.

The most interesting storyline is that the starting quarterback for Coastal Carolina is the brother of former Penn State quarterback Wally Richardson.

Penn State, 57-7

Maine at Iowa (Big Ten Network, 12 pm)

The Hawkeyes need at least a winning season if they want to save coach Kirk Ferentz’s job for another year. No one in Iowa City really knows what to expect of this team. It can go anywhere from three wins up to eight wins.

Iowa had a lot of off the field issues that they had to deal with, and no one knows what to expect each time Jake Christensen steps on the field. If this team struggles against Maine, buckle up Hawkeye fans—but I don’t think they will.

Iowa, 31-10

Akron at Wisconsin (Big Ten Network, 12 pm)

The Badgers are notorious for making cupcake games hard. Look at last year against UNLV and two years earlier against Bowling Green. Wisconsin is loaded on offense with running back P.J. Hill and one of the best tight ends in the country, Travis Beckum. It’ll be on quarterback Allan Evridge’s shoulders as to how far this team really does go.

Akron is probably the worst team in the MAC East, so the Badgers should dispose of them quite early.

Wisconsin, 47-13

Western Kentucky at Indiana (Big Ten Network, 12 pm)

This is the second year for the Hilltoppers playing in a FBS conference, the Sun Belt. They were 7-5 last year but still played a lot of FCS opponents. The Hoosiers made a bowl game for the first time in a long time, but they lost star wide receiver James Hardy to the NFL.

Kellen Lewis is back starting at quarterback, even after all of the off the field issues in the spring. Indiana will not be as good as they were in 2007, but they are good enough to beat Western Kentucky, although it might be a bit of a struggle.

Indiana, 27-17

Syracuse at Northwestern (ESPN2, 12 pm)

This is going to be an interesting game because it will set the tone for each of these teams for the rest of the year. The Orange desperately need to win this one to cool off Greg Robinson’s hot seat, while Northwestern wants to climb back up into the bowl picture after missing it last season

C.J. Bacher is back at quarterback for the Wildcats, and Tyrell Sutton hopes to regain his freshman year form as a senior. The Orange have to rely a lot on Andrew Robinson, and with his favorite target Mike Williams gone for the year, it is going to be tough. I like the Wildcats in this one.

Northwestern, 28-20

Utah at Michigan (ABC, 3:30 pm)

This is one of our games of the week. We’ve heard it all about Michigan and how this is going to be a down year because of their offense, but with most of their defense returning, they could carry the team until the offense clicks.

Utah is one of the best teams in the WAC, led by quarterback Brian Johnson, who has been a bit injury-prone. Running back Darrell Mack is the star of the Utes offense.

Between Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet, Michigan has to find a quarterback. Keep an eye on true freshman Sam McGuffie. I predict he makes a highlight reel play in his first game in the Big House.

Michigan avenges their loss to ASU last year, and their defense wins the game for them in a low-scoring matchup.

Michigan, 17-13

Northern Illinois at Minnesota (Big Ten Network, 7 pm)

These teams had a total of three wins between them last season. The Huskies are breaking in new coach Jerry Kill, while in Gopherland it is the second year for Tim Brewster.

The Gophers have some nice talent in their system, but it is real young. Adam Weber, the quarterback for Minnesota, can do damage with his arm and his legs—he led the team in both rushing and passing last year. His favorite target is Eric Decker.

I think this game will be close for a while, but overall the Gophers have too much talent for the Huskies.

Minnesota, 24-16

Michigan State at California (ABC, 8 pm)

These last two games are huge for the overall view of the Big Ten. The Spartans are one team that I think can surprise the ranks of the Big Ten. I like Brian Hoyer at quarterback, and I also think Javon Ringer can pick up where he left off last year running the ball.

The psyches for both the Bears and the Spartans are very fragile. They can fall from grace at the drop of a hat. The Bears named Kevin Riley their starting QB, but they lost talent at both wide receiver and running back.

Cal will be able to tame the Spartans with their tough corners, but I think Sparty grinds away a victory on the ground.

Michigan State, 31-27

Illinois at Missouri (ESPN, 8:30 pm)

The Missouri Tigers have national title dreams, while Illinois is hoping to repeat last season's success and go back to a BCS Bowl game. The Tigers are stacked offensively with Chase Daniel at quarterback and Jeremy Maclin at wide receiver. Maclin is going to cause fits in the Illini secondary.

Juice Williams will be the quarterback for the Illini. Ron Zook is hoping that Juice not only protects the ball better, but also improves his completion percentage above the 50 percent mark. Arrelious Benn will be the main guy for the Juice to throw to, and he could be a factor in the return game.

Remember last year—Eddie McGee replaced Juice Williams and almost led the Illini to a comeback victory, but fell just short on fourth down. This year will not be the same. Missouri will step on the gas from the start, and Illinois will be left in the dust.

Missouri, 40-21

In The Bleachers Live Tonight: 2008 Predictions

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:29:32 -0400

It is time to lay it all out on the line. Everyone has had seven months to pore over magazines, internet sites, and blogs, so tonight on In The Bleachers Live is the night we make our bold predictions on what is going to happen in the 2008 College Football Season.

On tonight’s show each guest will pick the Conference Winners of the ACC (Coastal & Atlantic), SEC (East & West), Big Ten, Big East, Pac Ten, Big 12 (North & South), Heisman winner, BCS Championship game matchup and winner. I will tally all of these predictions and post them on the blog. At the end of the season, we’ll find out who has the clearest crystal ball.

Once again, we will be using Talkshoe to do the live podcast. If you plan on being there, sign up for a username so I know who you are when you are in the chat room. It only takes a few seconds and it is free! The information for tonight’s live podcast is below:

Guest List
9:10pm EST - Big Head from MIZZOURAH
9:20pm EST - Justin Hokanson from the Bleacher Report and Gridiron Guru
9:30pm EST - Sean Keeley from Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
9:40pm EST - Jon Johnston from Corn Nation
9:50pm EST - Joel Hollingsworth from Rocky Top Talk
10:00pm EST - Michael Felder Jr. from Bleacher Report
10:10pm EST - Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation & EDSBS Live
10:20pm EST - John Radcliff from Mountainlair
10:30pm EST - Spencer Hall from EDSBS, EDSBS Live, and the Sporting News
10:40pm EST - Adam Nettina from College Football News and ITB

In The Bleachers Live Podcast Link
When: 9:00 EST
Phone Number to Call In: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 81065

Also if you haven’t signed up for the pick em you still have time. To participate, just join our game . It’s completely free to play, and FunOfficePools.com is spam-free as well.

The pool is open now to join, and first picks are due by Aug. 28, so sign up now. The pool will run the whole regular season, concluding on Dec. 6 with, among other games, the conference championship games. I will be handing out prizes to the winners.

If you’ve already signed up, click here to go to the FunOfficePools main page and log in.

Pool Type: College Football Pick em.
Pool Name: In The Bleachers Operation Pick Em
Password: bleachers
Selection Name: [Insert Your Name]

Ten Bold Non-BCS Conference Predictions for 2008

InTheBleachers.net — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:14:33 -0400

We’re but a few days away from the opening kickoff of the 2008 season, and with it comes an opportunity to put the “shoulds” and “coulds” of the preseason behind us to find out just how Week One of the season will shake down.

Here are some last minute predictions for the non-BCS conferences.

10. Both Wyoming and New Mexico State Will Go Bowling

Far from the hype of the BYUs and Fresno States of the world, the Wyoming Cowboys and New Mexico State Aggies both stand at a crossroads.

Each program saw relative success early in the tenures of their respective head coaches, but after disappointments and an inability to follow up that success, both Joe Glenn and Hal Mumme find themselves on hot seats.

Fortunately for each, I think both these teams make it to a bowl game in 2008, playing each other in the New Mexico Bowl. New Mexico State will take advantage of a power vacuum in the middle of the WAC to get there, while Wyoming will finally get consistent enough quarterback play to get over the hump in the MWC.

9. Ryan Mathews Will Lead the WAC in Rushing

Don’t get me wrong: I’m as big of a Luke Lippincott or Ian Johnson fan as you will find and happen to think both will have tremendous senior seasons. But anyone who saw true freshman Ryan Mathews dominate conference play last year will tell you, he’s something special. With a veteran offensive line returning in front of him, he’ll top his 2007 numbers and become the offense’s most potent weapon in 2008.

8. San Diego State Will Lose to Cal Poly

What happens when you take one of the better FCS teams and let them play one of the worst FBS teams? Actually, most of the time the FBS team will still win—but with the Aztecs featuring one of the worst run defenses in the FBS and having to replace three offensive linemen, their star quarterback, and top two pass catchers from a year ago, their prospects do not look good at all in the opening matchup.

7. Tulsa Will Break a Scoring Record Against North Texas

What happens when you give the reins of two non-BCS conference offenses to former record-setting high school coaches? What happens when an offense which averaged over 40 PPG in a new system a year ago goes up against a defense that allowed over 40 PPG last season? You get a recipe for 60 minutes of fastbreak action, that’s what.

6. Buffalo Will Win the MAC East

With every MAC East team getting at least one first-place vote in the MAC Media Poll at the conference’s media day last month, the consensus is that the Eastern half of the conference is up for grabs.

Buffalo has just as good of a shot as anyone else, and with Turner Gill getting veteran Drew Willy back at quarterback, the Bulls will find themselves in the MAC championship game by season’s end.

5. Navy Will Keep the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy

I have no idea why some people think that just because Paul Johnson is gone that Navy will suddenly regress from being the preeminent Service Academy team.

Sure, that Troy Calhoun fellow had a decent year out in Colorado Springs last year, but after losing almost all his offensive production to graduation this spring (and what was left of it to injury this summer), the Air Force Falcons will be in major rebuilding mode.

The same can be said for Army, which likely will have significant “ground express” issues on offense as they move to an option-based offense (basically, they will fumble a lot) in Stan Brock’s second year.

No, Navy may not be as good this year as they were in the last two years, but they won’t have to be to return to the White House lawn next spring.

4. Florida Atlantic WON’T Win the Sun Belt

The conference is better than most people (myself grudgingly included) give it credit for. Like the MAC, I think we’re seeing it even out from top to bottom, with too many teams gunning for the supposed “top team.”

I think FAU finds its way into a bowl now that the Sun Belt has secured multiple tie-ins, but a dog-eat-dog conference slate will leave the conference with an unlikely winner. Just don’t ask me who it will be.

3. Max Hall Will Be a Heisman Finalist

I think I’ve said all I could possibly say on this subject.

2. Boise State Will Win the WAC

No disrespect to Fresno State, but the Bulldogs have suffered too many past letdowns in conference for me to be downing the Kool-Aid this early.

I actually think Pat Hill’s club gets past the likes of Rutgers, UCLA, and Wisconsin—but just like in 2004, when they crushed Washington and Kansas State to come out of the gates, they’ll proceed to drop a game against a mid-level WAC team somewhere in the middle of the season.

They will eventually fall to a Boise State team that makes its pay from winning conference championships.

1. BYU Will Go to a BCS Bowl Game...and Win

I’ve said it before in much more detail, but just in case you’ve been turning a deaf ear to me, I’ll go over the abridged version one more time.

BYU’s offense will be nothing short of prolific now that Max Hall and company have had an entire offseason to gel, while the defense, despite major personnel losses, will be serviceable under head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s tutelage and scheme.

Once more, they’re playing a schedule that supports getting to a BCS bowl game, and with Mendenhall’s ability to keep his team humble, he won’t likely have them looking past potentially dangerous conference matchups with Utah and TCU.

In The Bleachers’ College Football Preseason Top 25: Nos. 1-5

InTheBleachers.net — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:16:33 -0400

5. Georgia Bulldogs

Yes, both the AP and Coaches believe that the Bulldogs are the best team in the country right now, but I beg to differ. They do have plenty of talent on their offense, led by maybe the best pro prospect quarterback in the country, Matthew Stafford. Stafford had a good year in 2007, throwing for 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore.

The emergence of running back Knowshon Moreno helped take a bit of the pressure off the QB. Moreno rushed for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns. Caleb King is a true freshman who should provide depth behind Moreno.

The offensive line took a bit of a hit when left tackle Trinton Sturdivant injured his knee and was declared out for the season. He protected Stafford’s blind side, so we’ll have to see if Georgia can find an answer on the line.

On defense, the Bulldogs have the most talented defensive line in the country. Rodrick Battle, Jeff Ownes, and Geno Atkins anchor a line that gave up just over 100 yards per game on the ground. The secondary returns three starters from a group that only gave up 213 yards per game through the air.

Georgia’s schedule is brutal. They have a stretch where they play at South Carolina, at Arizona State, and then home against Alabama and Tennessee. Later in the year they play at LSU, home against Florida, and two weeks later at Auburn.

If this team makes it through the year with only one loss, they had better be playing for a BCS title.

4. Florida Gators

The Gators would be ranked much higher, but they have taken some hits on the injury front during fall camp. Tight end Cornelius Ingram, strong safety Dorain Munroe, and three other Gators tore their ACLs and will miss the season. Percy Harvin is banged up still with the heel injury.

Nevertheless, the Gators do have Superman, Tim Tebow, which no other team can claim. Tebow, last year’s Heisman winner, is looking to build off a season where he threw and ran for over 20 touchdowns apiece. Keeping him healthy should be Florida’s No. 1 priority.

USC transfer Emmanuel Moody should start at running back and hopefully take some of the running load off Tebow. Gator fans are also really excited for Chris Rainey, the fastest Gator on the team, to touch the ball and use his speed in the open field.

On defense, the Gators do have some experience back in the secondary, which was a bit of a concern last season as they gave up 260 yards per game through the air.

Like every SEC team, the Gators have a tough schedule. Their OOC games are home against Hawaii and Miami, as well as finishing the season against Florida State.

The good part for the Gators is that they do not have tough stretches in their schedule like Georgia does. Their toughest one might be early on when they play Miami, at Tennessee, and home against Ole Miss.

If Tebow can stay healthy and the defense can tighten up, the Gators might be playing for their second title in three years.

3. Southern California Trojans

Year in and year out, the Trojans have the talent to compete for a national title, and this year is no different. In 2007, their defense only gave up 16 points per game, which was good for second best in the country. Also, USC only gave up 84 yards on the ground and 190 yards through the air per game.

The unfortunate part for their opponents is that the core of their defense is back. Fili Moala, Brian Cushing, and Rey Maualuga are the key players back on a defense that returns seven starters from last season.

It is weird to say this, but the Trojans’ weakness might be their offense. They still have questions on the offensive line, and their receivers, although full of talent, are mainly unproven. Patrick Turner and Vidal Hazelton both have starting experience but were not focal points of the offense.

Questions still surround quarterback Mark Sanchez and his ability to win the big games, even more since he got injured and missed most of fall camp. Running backs Stafon Johnson and Joe McKnight should be playmakers for the offense.

Besides games against Arizona State and Oregon, USC should have a relatively easy time in the Pac-10. The game on Sep. 13, when Ohio State comes to the Coliseum, will tell which of those two teams will be playing for the title in January.

2. Oklahoma Sooners

For the second year in a row, the Sooners had a poor showing in the Fiesta Bowl, but with the talent they have returning, they should at least get back there for a third season. On both the offense and the defense, their lines are some of the best you will find in all of the country.

Sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford should have plenty of time to throw and hopefully avoid that sophomore jinx that has plagued a few quarterbacks. DeMarco Murray will become the go-to guy at running back, while Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson are the top returning receivers.

If you are looking for a weakness with the Sooners, it might be at linebacker, where Ryan Reynolds is the only returning starter. However, junior college transfer Mike Balogun has been drawing rave reviews and might put defensive coordinator Brent Venables in a tough situation. Balogun plays the same position as Reynolds, so does Venables play one of them out of position?

The game circled for the Sooners is always the Red River Shootout with Texas. This year it is no different, but they might add Nov. 22 to avenge last year’s loss to Texas Tech. If all goes well, they should be playing Missouri in the Big 12 championship game for a chance to play in the BCS title game.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Go ahead and laugh, shake your head, call me an idiot—but this is Jim Tressel’s best team out of his past two that went to the BCS title game. They return nine starters on offense and eight on defense, including Heisman candidate Chris Wells and Mr. Linebacker James Laurinaitis.

Their receivers are quality with the Brians, Hartline and Robiskie, and tight end Rory Nicol.

Their defense is stacked and as I said returns many starters from a team that gave up 12 points per game, 82 yards on the ground, 150 yards passing, and only 233 total yards per game. In three of those categories they were ranked No. 1, and in the others they were No. 3.

The Buckeyes have two things working against them. One is that the media and most college football fans do not want them back in the title game. Unless they run the table, they will not be playing for a BCS title for the third year in a row.

Two, I am not sure if Todd Boeckman is the man to carry this team to a title. He must be steady and mistake free. I know he will not win a game for you, but he certainly can lose one.

One game will make or break their season: Sep. 13 at Southern Cal. If they lose there, the best they will do is the Rose Bowl. A win against USC leaves them with their toughest game at Wisconsin on Oct. 4.

[ITB Preseason 6-10]

[ITB Preseason 11-15]

[ITB Preseason 16-20]

[ITB Preseason 21-25]

In The Bleachers’ College Football Preseason Top 25: Nos. 6-10

InTheBleachers.net — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:49:55 -0400

10. Texas Longhorns

This year the Longhorns will find out if Colt McCoy just had a sophomore slump, or if he really has regressed in his development. Texas has no lack of talent on offense or defense, but it does have some holes to fill from departures. Their offensive line returns four of five and Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley are back to catch balls for McCoy.

A lot of Texas’ success lies directly on McCoy’s back. He has to protect the ball a bit better than last year and avoid trying to carry the entire load of the team. The weak point in the Longhorns defense is their secondary. Fans are excited for new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, and they’ll get to see his revamped secondary at work when they play pass-happy teams like UTEP, Rice, and Arkansas early on. Those are all games they should win, so it should get the young secondary some much-needed practice before the tough slate of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Missouri hit in a row.

9. Clemson Tigers

I don’t think there is much doubt that, on paper, the Clemson Tigers are the best team in the ACC. They have two solid running backs, James Davis and CJ Spiller, two returning wide receivers, Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham, and the best quarterback in the ACC, Cullen Harper. If the Tigers can get some blocking from their guys up front, this could be one of the most dangerous offenses in the country.

On defense, they return seven starters, with their entire secondary returning. Up front, Ricky Sapp, Dorell Scott, and Rashaad Jackson anchor a defensive line, and don’t forget about true freshman Da’Quan Bowers, who has been turning heads at fall practice. We will see what the Tigers are made of early when they play Alabama in Atlanta. After that, they really do not have a tough game until the end of September/early October with Maryland and Wake Forest. Wins there and there could be smooth sailing to the ACC title game.

8. Auburn Tigers

This is a team I think should be getting a lot more hype, but since Georgia, Florida, and LSU are media darlings, Auburn is flying a bit under the radar. They implemented the spread offense back in the bowl game with offensive coordinator Tony Franklin serving as the brains of it. Kodi Burns and Chris Todd will be fighting for the quarterback job with Brad Lester back as running back. Their line returns all five starters.

New defensive coordinator Paul Rhodes has experience defending spread offenses from his days at Pittsburgh, but now he has more talented players to run his schemes. Rhodes has a good core of eight returning starters to build from. The only place they are a little inexperienced is the defensive line. The Tigers schedule starts out slow, but the game against LSU on Sept. 20 could go a long way in deciding who represents the SEC West in the title game. A game to keep an eye on is Oct. 23 at Morgantown. The Tigers hope that Paul Rhodes’ defense can shut down the WVU spread like it did with Pitt last season.

7. West Virginia Mountaineers

New coach Bill Stewart will have the same general philosophy as the old coach, whom I will not name. Pat White returns for his senior season, but it will be Noel Devine that lines up behind him, not Steve Slaton like in years past. The Mountaineers have four returning starters on the offensive line which should help make holes for their speedy backs.

On defense, there are quite a few holes to fill as they only return four starters, but two of those starters, Mortty Ivy and Reed Williams, were among the top tacklers for the Mountaineers last season. The Mountaineers are riding the high of another BCS bowl win. They hope to erase the heartache of the Pitt loss and start a new chapter under Bill Stewart. They have two tough non-conference games at Colorado and back home against Auburn. If they get past those I know they will be looking forward to revenge at Pittsburgh Nov. 28. The following week could be for the Big East title as they host South Florida.

6. Missouri Tigers

If you have been keeping track, this is the third team named the Tigers in the rankings 6-10. The Missouri Tigers are led by Heisman Candidate Chase Daniel. Daniel mastered an offense that scored 39.9 points per game, threw for 314 yards per game, and overall boasted 490 yards per game. They were ranked in the nation's top 10 in each category. Returning at wideout is the speedy Jeremy Maclin, who had over 1,000 yards receiving last year. Their offensive line is nothing to blink at, either, as tough Ryan Madison and Kurtis Gregory return to anchor it.

The Tigers’ defense wasn’t bad at all last year, but, if I were to nitpick, they do need to improve a bit on the pass defense. That shouldn’t be hard with four returning starters in the secondary, and I guess the passing stats can be a little misleading since most teams were playing from behind against Missouri. The Tigers open up against Illinois, a team they should be able to handle. But keep an eye out in October when they play both Texas and Colorado. They end the year in Kansas City against Kansas. If all goes well for Missouri fans, they will be back in Kansas City the following week for the Big 12 title game.

[ITB Preseason 11-25]
[ITB Preseason 16-20]
[ITB Preseason 21-25]

SIGNUP - In The Bleachers Operation Pick Em - PRIZES

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:49:54 -0400

Announcing the In The Bleachers Operation Pick’em Game

We are excited to announce a new feature here at In The Bleachers! In conjunction with FunOfficePools, we will be running a college football office pool. Let’s find out who is really the best prognosticator of the pigskin.

Each week, we’ll have about eight games for you to pick. We’ll be picking the winners only—no spreads. We’ll be picking games that include the best matchups each week. Last year’s winner, Lorena, will be looking to defend her title.

The prizes I have so far are Ivan Maisel new book “The Maisel Report: College Football’s Most Overrated and Underrated Players, Coaches, Teams, and Traditions” and also the USA Today is sending me three books called The USA TODAY College Football Encyclopedia. I am in talks with a few other sponsors to get some more prizes.

To participate, just join our game . It’s completely free to play, and FunOfficePools.com is spam-free as well. The pool is open now to join, and first picks are due by Aug. 28, so sign up now. The pool will run the whole regular season, concluding on Dec. 6 with, among other games, the conference championship games.

If you’ve already signed up, click here to go to the FunOfficePools main page and log in.

Pool Type: College Football Pick em.
Pool Name: In The Bleachers Operation Pick Em
Password: bleachers
Selection Name: [Insert Your Name]

In The Bleachers Podcast: 2008 Big Ten Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:49:26 -0400

The Big Ten is the conference under a lot of scrutiny, in terms of the quality of its teams, the past few years, and it's the topic of discussion in this week's In The Bleachers Podcast. Jeff Brancolini brings another great Chopshop this weeks as he ranks the Big Ten based on the cities in which its schools are located.

Oops Pow Surprise from Black Heart Gold Pants spent 40 minutes on the show talking a lot about Iowa football, and how he comes up with such great sayings for Joe Paterno on his blog.

My next guest was Adam Nettina from the College Football News. Adam and I do a brief overview of the rest of the Big Ten and talk about teams in the middle of the pack fighting for bowl eligibility.

To listen to the episode, you can download it here, or subscribe as laid out below.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers, and if you have any questions or comments to the show, please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

In The Bleachers Live Tonight: Big Ten Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:39:20 -0400

Tonight on In The Bleachers Live, I have four people coming on to talk about my favorite BCS Conference, the Big Ten.

Ohio State is the clear-cut favorite, but we will find out what other teams could surprise us and maybe upset the Buckeyes and their chance for a share of at least the last four Big Ten Titles.

My first guest Adam Jacobi from Black Heart Gold Pants will be joining me around 9:25 p.m. EST. I will ask him where he comes up with all the great Joe Pa material he posts on the site, and if we have time talk about the Iowa Football.

At 9:40 p.m. EST, Brian Cook from MGOBLOG will call in. Brian is one of the first bloggers on the interwebs, and most importantly a Michigan fan. We’ll find out all about their new offense and maybe find out if Penn State can actually beat Michigan this year and break a 11-year drought against the Wolverines.

Finally at 9:55 p.m. Adam Nettina comes on to talk about his favorite BCS Conference. Adam writes at College Football News and is always a great guest when he comes on the show.

Once again we will be using Talkshoe to do the live podcast. If you plan on being there, sign up for a username so I know who you are when you are in the chat room. It only takes a few seconds and it is free! The information for tonight’s live podcast is below:

In The Bleachers Live Podcast Link
When: 9:00 EST
Phone Number to Call In: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 81065

In The Bleachers’ College Football Preseason Top 25: Nos. 11-15

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:01:55 -0400

15. Brigham Young Cougars

BYU is the best non-BCS team, and I fully expect them to be playing in a BCS Bowl game in January. Their schedule is set up perfectly for it, with only struggling UCLA and Washington in their non-conference schedule.

The Cougars averaged 30 points per game and 442 yards per game in 2007. The bad news for their opponents is that BYU returns eight starters on offense, including their quarterback Max Hall. Hall threw for over 3,800 yards last year with 26 touchdowns, while running back Harvey Unga ran for over 1,200 with 13 touchdowns.

However, on defense, BYU returns just three starters from a core that only gave up 18.5 points and 97 yards on the ground per game. If head coach Bronco Mendenhall can find quality players on defense, there is a legitimate chance that BYU can go 12-0. If they don’t go 12-0, they should still win at least 10 games.

BYU enters the season on a 10-game winning streak and a 16-game conference winning streak. The team’s motto this year is “quest for perfection,” and the Cougars definitely have a chance to reach it.

14. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Every year I get fooled by Texas Tech. They start out the year ripping through their opponents, but then when they have to play a tough Big 12 team, they get stomped. Last year, however, the Red Raiders did beat Oklahoma, which might show they are getting over the hump of losing to top tier teams.

This team is stacked offensively. Quarterback Graham Harrell threw for 5,700 yards and 48 touchdowns, most of them to sophomore Michael Crabtree, who caught 22 of those touchdown passes and racked up 1,960 yards.

On defense they return eight starters, which is great news for Tech fans. In my opinion, if they do not allow opponents to score over 24 points, there is no reason why this team cannot challenge for the Big 12 South Title.

I think the Red Raiders should breeze through their first seven games (again), with maybe one speed bump along the way, but it will be the games at Kansas and home against Texas in consecutive weeks which will define the character of this team. Two wins there, and it is all set for a Nov. 22 matchup with Oklahoma for a chance to go to the Big 12 Title game.

13. Virginia Tech Hokies

The $100,000 question for the Hokies is, who will start at quarterback? From everything I have been reading, that question still does not have an answer. Both Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor have been inconsistent in camp, so it looks as if the Hokies will start the season with a two-quarterback system.

With Glennon, I believe Tech needs to have a better running game, and the two fighting for the running back position now that Branden Ore has been kicked off the team are Jahre Cheeseman and Kenny Lewis, Jr.

Taylor can be the answer to all the Hokie prayers if he develops some consistency. He has the athletic ability to put more fear in opposing defenses since players of the last name Vick. With Zach Luckett’s recent DUI, the receivers have to do a bit of shuffling too.

On defense, they have to replace most of their front seven. But with the injuries that took place last year, many of those starting this year got some quality playing time. In the secondary they are led by self-proclaimed Heisman candidate Victor Harris, who had five interceptions last season and will be an important part of the Hokie return game.

Virginia Tech should win their first three games, setting up a tough one at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are much improved and should put some pressure on the Hokies in the ACC Coastal Division.

12. Louisiana State Tigers

The defending BCS Champions have some holes to fill, but with strong past recruiting classes, the Tigers shouldn’t fall too far. The first hole is at quarterback, where Jarrett Lee should begin the season as the starter despite being held out of the last scrimmage due to back spasms.

With Jacob Hester graduating, Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, and Richard Murphy will see time in the backfield. On a positive note, the Tigers return four of five starters on the offensive line.

On defense, LSU will be adjusting to a new coordinator that has to replace seven starters. Ricky Jean-Francois, Tremaine Johnson, and Tyson Jackson all have played well in the fall and should help ease the pain from losing All-American Glenn Dorsey.

The Tigers start out at home in a much-anticipated game against the FCS Champions Appalachian State. I don’t expect the Tigers to take them lightly. On Sep. 20, they open SEC play against Auburn, which should be a great game.

The inexperienced Tigers must adapt quickly if they want to defend their SEC West title—with their schedule, there is little room for growing pains.

11. Wisconsin Badgers

Every February when you check out the latest recruiting rankings, rarely do you see Wisconsin in the Top 20—yet year after year they churn out quality teams in the Big Ten. This year will be no different for the Badgers, who return nine of 11 starters on offense, led by running back P.J. Hill Jr.

Hill ran for 1,200 yards last season and will benefit running behind an offensive line that that returns all starters from 2007. No talk of their offense would be complete without talking about tight end Travis Beckum, who caught 75 balls for 982 yards and six touchdowns.

The only problem facing Bret Bielema and the Badgers offense is that they have five quarterbacks on the roster with a combined zero starts as a Badger. However, Allan Evridge does have six starts under his belt from his time at Kansas State.

On defense, the backfield must make up for lost time, as many of them missed spring practice due to suspensions. Free safety Shane Carter had seven interceptions last year and hopes to improve the Badger defense.

Wisconsin starts out slow, but then travels to California to play Fresno State the third game of the year. They have a tough three-week stretch of Big Ten play, going to Michigan, then home against Ohio State and Penn State, all in consecutive weeks. Running the table there would almost guarantee them at least a share of the Big Ten Championship.

[ITB Preseason 16-20]
[ITB Preseason 21-25]

In The Bleachers’ College Football Preseason Top 25: Nos. 16-20

InTheBleachers.net — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:50:24 -0400

Yesterday I released my Top 21 to 25 of my preseason college football poll; today I will continue with the countdown and bring you 16 through 20.

20. Oregon Ducks

This is a team I have ranked a bit lower than most of the polls and magazines out there. The Ducks lost both Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart to the draft, and watching them last year without Dixon was like watching a totally different team. Right now, Oregon has six quarterbacks on the roster that have combined for two career starts; Justin Roper looks like he's edging out Nate Costa as the starter. If you recall, Roper led the Ducks in their Sun Bowl victory over South Florida.

Their strength should be in the defensive backfield, led by cornerbacks Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond III. At the ends of the line, Oregon should be tough, but, without much depth on the defensive line, they could be in trouble with a few injuries. The Ducks' first game is a Pac-10 tilt against the Huskies. In Week 3, the Ducks travel to play Purdue, which should be a good game of two teams looking to get over the hump in the court of public opinion. October is a bit brutal for Oregon as they play at USC, host UCLA, then travel to Arizona State.

19. Penn State Nittany Lions

I'd have had the Nittany Lions ranked a bit higher a month ago, but after the dismissal of Chris Baker and Philip Taylor, and now the injury to Devon Still, the defensive line went from a strength to one more injury away from a critical situation. On the other side of the ball, all five offensive linemen return to make holes for Evan Royster and to protect either Pat Devlin or Daryll Clark at quarterback. Neither have much game experience with Clark playing a few snaps in the Alamo Bowl and Devlin having thrown one collegian pass. Luckily for whomever the quarterback is, they will have three four-year veterans at wide receiver.

Inexperience at quarterback and running back is an issue, and so is replacing Sean Lee at linebacker. My biggest concern for Penn State lies in its ability to put together a coaching plan that will attack the opposition. In big games, Penn State plays not to lose instead of playing to win, especially on the road. The Nittany Lions have not won on the road against a Top-25 opponent since 2002, against Wisconsin. This season, they have Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue on the road. That streak will have to end if they want to contend for a Big Ten Title.

18. Arizona State Sun Devils

Second-year coach Dennis Erikson has been notorious for being better the second year at a school than the first. If that’s the case, Sun Devil fans should be elated to improve on a 10-3 record in 2007. Quarterback Rudy Carpenter is back after throwing for 3,200 yards and 25 touchdowns. Joining him in the backfield is running back Keegan Herring. On defense, much of their front-seven returns from a defense that only gave up 110 yards per game on the ground.

The one big question mark looming around Arizona State is whether they found the formula to block for Rudy Carpenter. Carpenter was sacked 55 times by the end of the year last season and, unfortunately, Arizona State must find three starters to replace on that porous line. On defense, the Sun Devils only return two starters in the backfield. With teams like Georgia and USC on their schedule, they must get ready to defend the pass.

17. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas was most likely the surprise team of the year in 2007. It does have 15 starters returning combined on offense and defense, but will not sneak up on teams despite facing a much tougher schedule than last season. Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks will score points. Reesing will have targets Dexton Fields and Dezmon Briscoe back to throw to, but will have to break in a new running back.

The defense returns a lot of starters, too, but, if you look at the last month of the season, they began to show kinks in their armor in giving up more than 20 points in four of their last five games. As I said, the schedule is much tougher in 2008. They have to play both Oklahoma and Texas, unlike last year. Also included are South Florida, Missouri, and Texas Tech. Kansas will go bowling, but I feel it won’t come close to its 12-1 record in 2007.

16. Tennessee Volunteers

Jonathan Crompton takes over the reigns at quarterback from Erik Ainge, and he has to be elated that all five starting offensive lineman are returning from a core that only gave up four sacks last season. Crompton does have some starting experience filling in for Ainge, but he also has a quality back in Arian Foster to take some of the load off. On defense, the Vols looked stacked in the secondary, which is always a good sign when you play in the SEC.

Overall, I think this season could ride on Crompton’s shoulders. Is he able to carry his weight on offense and protect the ball? If the answer is yes, the Vols could go back to their second SEC Championship game in as many years. As far as the schedule goes, they will be tested early with UCLA (away), Florida, and Auburn (away) in their first four games. If they can win two of three there, they should be extremely happy and set for a showdown at Georgia on Oct. 11.

[ITB Preseason 21-25]

In The Bleachers’ College Football Preseason Top 25: Nos. 21-25

InTheBleachers.net — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:08:17 -0400

I promised it on the podcast and this week I will deliver the In The Bleachers Preseason Top 25 for the 2008 season. My thought process is pretty simple on this one, I am not predicting the final standings. I am predicting the Top 25 based on how good they are right at this moment.

25. Fresno State Bulldogs

If not for their difficult schedule, most experts would be talking about Fresno State in the same breath as BYU as far as Non-BCS schools going to a BCS Bowl game.

The Bulldogs return 10 starters on offense, including quarterback Tom Brandstater, who is one of the top senior quarterbacks in the nation. Brandstater is not flashy, but in 2007 he threw only five interceptions. Ryan Matthews returns as a sophomore after rushing for 866 yards and 14 touchdowns as a true freshman.

The weak spot for the Bulldogs will be their secondary, which will be tested in their first game of the year against Rutgers and their talented wide receivers.

Their front seven is also a bit unproven since they lost Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts. With their first two games being at Rutgers, then back home against Wisconsin, we will find out a lot about the Bulldogs early.

24. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

I have already tooted the Scarlet Knights’ horn last week, as I think they are a team that should challenge for the Big East title.

Many are writing off Rutgers all because Ray Rice is gone, but quarterback Mike Teel had a good season last year throwing for 3,100 yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

To challenge for the Big East crown however, those numbers must all go up except for the interceptions. With two great receivers such as Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood, I believe that is a good assumption.

Their weak point is obvious, they do not have a proven running back and they are a little suspect along the offensive line.

Their defense returns eight starters from a team that only gave up 170 yards through the air a game.

The Knights start off the season with a bang as Fresno State and North Carolina come to town in the first two weeks. Two wins there and they should be 4-0 heading to Morgantown.

23. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The strength for the Demon Deacons lies clearly on the defensive side of the ball. They return nine starters from a team that only gave up 22 points per game and 109 yards on the ground. If this team is going to go places in 2008, it will be the defense that carries them.

Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith are two to the top returning defenders. On offense, Riley Skinner is back. Skinner is talented but has to cut down on his interceptions. Josh Adams returns at running back after rushing for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007.

The weak point for the Deacons is their offensive line and at wide receiver. There are as many as 10 players in the mix to start on the offensive line, but unfortunately for Wake, they don’t return a starter that started more than eight games.

Weeks 2 and 3 have them going up against Ole Miss and Florida State. If they win there, they should be undefeated when the take on Clemson at home a few weeks later.

22. Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illinois offense was ranked fifth nationally rushing the ball, but now with Rashard Mendenhall gone, they should take a step back.

Saying that, I expect Juice Williams to improve from last season and become a more consistent player. He turned the ball over a bit too much, but he has the athletic ability to become a supreme threat in the Big Ten.

Arrelious Benn showed flashes of brilliance at both wide receiver and in the return game.

On defense, the Illini are anchored by their defensive line and second team all Big Ten lineman Will Davis.

As much as he is a plus, Juice Williams' unsteady play can be a huge minus if he starts turning the ball over. Half way through the season last year, there was a bit of a QB controversy between Juice and Eddie McGee.

If they are going to be successful, the Illini must improve on 168 yards per game through the air. They open up the season with Missouri and then travel to Happy Valley for a prime-time game on Sept. 27.

21. South Florida Bulls

On Oct. 13, 2007, the South Florida Bulls were riding high with a 6-0 record and a top 3 ranking in the BCS standings. It all came crashing down after that, as they lost their next three games.

Matt Grothe will be back for his junior year to quarterback the Bulls. Grothe is both the Bulls’ leading passer and rusher, and I expect him to carry the lions’ share again this season.

All-American George Selvie is back to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. On the other side of the ball, the offensive line should be a strong point.

Their defense lost two extremely good cornerbacks, and filling those holes will be no easy task. It also should be interesting to see if the Bulls can still be aggressive with their front seven with inexperienced cornerbacks.

The Bulls should be 5-0 once again when they open Big East play at home against a talented Pittsburgh Panthers team. If they get past them, it should be smooth sailing until Nov. 15 against Rutgers.

In The Bleachers Podcast: 2008 Big 12 Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:50:39 -0400

In this week’s episode of the In The Bleachers Podcast, you will find out everything you need to know about the upcoming 2008 season and how it pertains to the Big 12.

Big Head from MizzouRAH was my first guest and he optimistically talks about Missouri’s chances for not only the Big 12 title, but for the national title.

He also discusses some recent controversy where he posted some disturbing Myspace pictures of a player and it garnered a lot of attention.

My next guest was Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation and the EDSBS Live podcast. We talk a little bit how Texas is flying under the radar and how he thinks the secondary will do to improve from last season.

Also, we discuss Colt McCoy and if he is ready to bounce back from his disappointing 2007 campaign.

To listen to the episode you can download it here, or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast you must subscribe to the Feedbuner but if you want to subscribe to the blog please use the RSS feed.

This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers, and if you have any questions or comments to the show please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

In The Bleachers Live Tonight: Big 12 Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:40:38 -0400

It's a night earlier than usual, but tonight on In The Bleachers Live, I will take a look at the Big 12 Conference along with three guests.

Oklahoma and Missouri look to have a date in the Big 12 Title game, but I think teams like Texas, Texas Tech, and Kansas will have a say in the matter.

My first guest Big Head from MizzouRAH will be joining me around 9:10 p.m. EDT. We will talk about the Tigers’ chances not only in the Big 12, but in the BCS title picture. I am sure sometime during that time Big Head will profess his undying love for Chase Daniel.

At 9:25 p.m. EDT, In The Bleachers Podcast veteran Jon Johnson from Corn Nation will join me. We will talk about how the Huskers will adjust with new head coach Bo Pelini, and what to look forward to from them this season. Plus we will also ask Jon about the book he co-authored called Sea of Red.

Not to totally ignore the Big 12 South, at 9:45 p.m. EST, Peter Bean will join me from Burnt Orange Nation and the EDSBS Live podcast. I’d like to talk to Peter a bit about Colt McCoy and if the Longhorns fixed their issues in the secondary from last year.

Once again we will be using Talkshoe to do the live podcast. If you plan on being there, sign up for a username, so I know who you are when you are in the chat room. It only takes a few seconds and it is free! The information for tonight’s live podcast is below:

In The Bleachers Live Podcast Link
When: 9:00 EDT
Phone Number to Call In: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 81065

Which Teams Will Upset the Balance of Power in College Football? (Part Two)

InTheBleachers.net — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:46:24 -0400

In Part One of this series, I explained why I thought Rutgers, Mississippi, and Michigan State were three teams who could be a bit of a surprise this season in their conference.

In Part Two, I will tell you which teams from the Pac-10, ACC, and Big 12 have the potential to jump up and bite the power teams.

If you listened to the ACC Preview Podcast, this next team will be of no surprise to you, but I feel the North Carolina Tar Heels have a chance to make some waves in the ACC Coastal Division.

Part of the reason for picking the Tar Heels is that the Coastal Division is so wide open. Virginia Tech has been noted as the preseason favorite, but the gap between them and the rest of the Coastal is not big at all.

This will be Butch Davis’ second year on the sidelines, and he began making his mark on this team before his first season started, getting a really good recruiting class to come into Chapel Hill.

Greg Little moved from WR to RB for the last few games of 2007 and rushed for almost 300 yards. His combination of speed and power is making Tar Heel fans excited about his play. Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate anchor a wide receiver core that returning QB T.J. Yates should enjoy throwing the ball to.

On defense, the strength lies in the defensive line with Marvin Austin, E.J. Wilson, Cam Thomas, and Tydreke Powell. The defensive backfield has all four starters back, led by 2007 ACC Rookie of the Year Deunta Williams, but at linebacker they are breaking in some new starters and are a little short in depth.

Their schedule is manageable, with a few tough early games: at Rutgers and then back home to play Virginia Tech. If they can win both of those games, we could be talking about them playing in the ACC title game. The Tar Heels do luck out because they do not play Clemson or Wake Forest in the regular season.

Head coach Dan Hawkins took the Colorado Buffaloes back to a bowl game in only his second year at the helm. Now that he has added a bit more speed to the lineup, Colorado has a chance to go much higher in the Big 12 North.

You will be hard pressed to find anyone who will pick anyone other than Missouri or even Kansas to win the Big 12 North, but I feel that Colorado is a bit of a wild card team.

Returning for his sophomore year, coach's son Cody Hawkins will be under center running the no-huddle offense. Demetrius Sumler is the leading returning rusher, but I would suspect that the nation’s No. 1 running back recruit from last season, Darrell Scott, will push for carries early and have the job for himself by the end of the season.

The Buffaloes started two true freshmen last year on the offensive line, and their overall two-deep on offense is filled with sophomores and juniors. Scott McKnight, who caught two TD passes in the first scrimmage, and Patrick Williams—61 yards receiving in the scrimmage—are two returning WRs with experience. Most are excited for Josh Smith, who had 71 yards receiving in the first scrimmage.

On defense, the line looks to be the strong suit with three seniors there. However, they must improve on their pass defense, where the Buffs ranked 103rd in the nation, giving up 261 yards in the air per game. Daniel Dykes and Ryan Walters anchor the safety positions, where freshman Anthony Wright is fighting for a spot on the corner.

The schedule is brutal for the Buffaloes. On Sep. 18, West Virginia comes to Boulder; then in successive weeks they play Florida State (in Jacksonville), home against Texas, and at Kansas.

With no Oklahoma on the schedule, if they can pull off a split in those four games, it could be considered a moral victory. They close the year at Nebraska, which could be a preview of Big 12 North championship contenders for the 2009 season.

My final pick is a team that can really light up scoreboards through the air—now if they can just find a complimentary running attack and some defense, they could be dangerous in 2008.

In 2007 Willie Tuitama threw for almost 3,700 yards with 28 touchdowns, but the Arizona Wildcats could only muster five wins in Mike Stoops' fourth year as head coach.

This year Tuitama is a senior, and his coach Mike Stoops could be out after this year if they do not win a bowl game. The Wildcats return leading receiver Mike Thomas, who caught 83 balls for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as nine other returning starters on offense.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski is a serious threat over the middle and can stretch defenses with his speed. All in all, he is a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.

As I mentioned previously, the Wildcats lack a rushing attack. Last year they were 114th in the country, only gaining 76 yards per game on the ground. Nicolas Grigsby looks to be the starter, but questions remain about him being an every-down back. Don’t be surprised if junior college transfer Nick Booth, who is more of a power runner, gets some time in the backfield also.

On defense the Wildcats return only three starters. One of them is senior Nate Ness, who had five interceptions in 2007, but he is suffering from a concussion that has limited his reps in fall practice.

Sophomore defensive end Brooks Reed has been having a good fall camp and is someone that Arizona will use to put some pressure on the quarterback.

Looking at their first six games, there is no reason that the Wildcats should be any worse than 4-2. If they can pull out a victory against UCLA, they could actually start the season 6-0 and solidify themselves not only a bowl bid, but also a top half finish in the Pac-10.

If Mike Stoops can get the defense clicking and establish a rushing game, I really think that Arizona will be a team to reckon with in the Pac-10, especially with the huge gap in talent between USC and the rest of the conference.

College Football: In The Bleachers Podcast—2008 ACC Preview

InTheBleachers.net — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:01:34 -0400

In this week’s episode of the In The Bleachers Podcast, the Atlantic Coast Conference is previewed. Many think that it is Clemson’s to lose, but tune in and find out which teams could surprise us this year and possibly be the Cinderella team of the ACC.

Jeff Brancolini comes back this week, and in his Chopshop he ranks the ACC based on which teams would have the best basketball lineup while fielding famous alumni football players.

Also joining Brian on the show is Michael Felder, Jr. from Bleacher Report. Michael is a former Tar Heel safety and the community leader at Bleacher Report. There is a lot of reason for optimism in Tar Heel country.

Adam Nettina from In The Bleachers and College Football News takes a minute out of his trip to call in and talk ACC. You won’t want to miss what Adam has to say about Maryland and Georgia Tech.

To listen to the episode you can download it here, or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast you must subscribe to the Feedburner, but if you want to subscribe to the blog please use the RSS feed. This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers. If you have any questions or comments for the show, please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

Which Teams Will Upset the Balance of Power in College Football? (Part One)

InTheBleachers.net — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:57:39 -0400

Each year conferences have teams that sneak up and surprise a frontrunner with a big upset or even finish high in the conference. I am sure 2008 will be no different.

This post will have three of the six teams I believe can upset the balance of power in their BCS conference. The other three will be posted in Part Two.

The Michigan State Spartans finished the 2007 season 7-6 and went to their first bowl game in four years, but in all reality the season could have been much better. They suffered close losses to Ohio State (seven points), Wisconsin (three points), OT loss to Northwestern, and a three-point loss to Boston College.

A few breaks either way, and the Spartans may be looking at a nine or 10-win season.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer finished the season solidly in wins against Purdue and Penn State, and he looked good even in their loss to Boston College. Hoyer will be back this year, as will running back Javon Ringer, who rushed for 1,447 yards last season.

Mark Dell and Devon Curry are back to be Hoyer’s main targets. On the offensive line, the Spartans return three of five starters.

On defense they have to retool a bit, mainly on the defensive line, but coach Mark Dantonio has brought in some good talent. Using their aggressive attacking-style defense, the Spartans could be a dangerous bunch.

An early season game at California will set the barometer for the team. A win against the Bears could go a long way. Looking ahead in their schedule, the Spartans could be 7-0 when when Ohio State comes to East Lansing.

The Pittsburgh Panthers are the sexy pick in the Big East for a surprise team, but I feel it will be the Rutgers Scarlet Knights who will surprise a few teams this season. Yes, I know Ray Rice is gone, but the Knights return not one, but two record-breaking wide receivers for Mike Teel to throw to.

Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood both had over 1,000 yards receiving last year and will wreak havoc in opposing teams' defensive backfields.

As always, Greg Schiano has a stout defensive line to anchor his defense and returns three of four starters in the defensive backfield. Rutgers doesn’t have a warm-up game to start the season off though. Fresno State comes to town in week one, and 10 days later North Carolina pays a visit.

The Bulldogs are thought to be one of the top non-BCS schools in the country, so if Rutgers wins that game, it should give them a lot of confidence.

All of their tough conference games are on the road: West Virginia, South Florida, and Pitt. Nevertheless, if the Knights can find some sort of a running attack to take the pressure off Teel, they can put up some big offensive numbers and knock off a few teams.

Ed Orgeron might no longer be the coach at Mississippi, but he didn’t leave the cupboards bare for the Ole Miss Rebels. They should be strong on both the offensive and defensive lines, Coach O’s specialty.

Next, insert a transfer quarterback by the name of Jevan Snead, who was highly recruited and initially went to Texas, only to transfer after the starting job was given to Colt McCoy.

With the new QB, the Rebels have the makings of a team which will improve offensively from 2007. Snead has three returning starters at wide receiver but does need to break in a new running back.

On defense Ole Miss returns eight starters. On paper they look like they can make waves, and with Snead I think they will be able to hang in games by scoring more, something that plagued them last season.

With the SEC West being up in the air a bit after Auburn, Ole Miss could be a team that makes some waves. At worst they should be 3-1 when they travel to Florida to play the Gators.

If I were fans of Alabama and LSU, I would not take the Rebels lightly, even though Ole Miss will be playing both of them on the road. Houston Nutt has been known to get a lot out of his players, and the raw talent is there. Nutt just has to polish it.

In Part Two I will talk about the teams in the Pac-10, ACC, and Big 12 which could upset the balance of power in their conferences.